Killer awaiting Arizona execution lived a life rife with crime, addiction
Leroy Dean McGill’s life was marked by instability long before he was sentenced to death.
tucson.comLeroy Dean McGill’s execution is currently in the news, with multiple outlets reporting that he was scheduled to be executed in Arizona in May 2026 for the July 2002 murder of Charles Perez and the related arson and attempted murder of Nova Banta. Several pieces note that the Arizona Supreme Court granted the execution warrant, setting May 20, 2026 as the date, making it the first execution in Arizona that year. Public coverage also discusses McGill’s background and the history of his appeals, along with contemporaneous reporting of the activity around his case. You can expect ongoing updates around last-meal details, final words, and execution procedures as that date approached and, if carried out, after.
Context and quick references you can check for the latest developments:
- Arizona Supreme Court granted the execution warrant setting a May 20, 2026 date. [web source coverage indicates this decision and date]
- The case involves the July 2002 Phoenix attack in which McGill fatally burned Charles Perez and seriously injured Nova Banta, with Banta surviving.[2][4]
- National and local outlets highlighted the execution timing as part of a broader slate of executions in early 2026 in Arizona.[6]
If you’d like, I can pull the very latest updates and summarize them with direct quotes and dates, or set up a concise timeline of key events in this case.